Photo: Colin on Tom’s Peeping VS 5a (or E1 6a?).

Deadlines, the weather, partners, home-life, other jobs - some juggling was needed as the autumn rapidly approaches and so does the printing date for Northern England.
A cast of thousands was assembled to get the final few shots and do some last minute checking.
In the event (and as ever) it fell to myself, Alan and Colin to spend a couple of frantic days. Day 1 was Scugdale, Park Nab and the Wainstones, completed just as the cloud motored in and the temperature plummeted. We bumped into a Cleveland MC meet and discussed the guide/photos/which cliffs were in an out etc, all in an amicable fashion, which was nice.
Day 2 and we drove through heavy rain to emerge in bright sunshine just south of Bellingham (the Craggs’ weather genie was at work), the day was spent on Callerhues getting trashed - the grades were as anomalous as we expected - and more so in some cases - all will be revealed in the new guide.
Then it was off to Causey Quarry to catch the last rays of the sun at the lads zipped up The Mauler (HVS 5b - or Severe 4a on Callerhues!) before heading for home - straight back into the rain!

Well it looks like we brought the summer back with us! I spent a hot sunny and sweaty day tramping around the Staffordshire gritstone area taking crag shots for the next version of Western Grit, it will be a while yet though!
Ramshaw and Hen Cloud were deserted, but as ever the Roaches was busy, despite it being a mid-week Thursday - there was the obligatory group of school kids polishing Chalk Storm and its nearby routes, and as to the lady who suggested that I should ask before taking photographs - well excuse me - I will ensure that you are digitised out of the crag-shot!
Three hours and 185 shots later I headed for home!

Isn’t it strange how you forget? After several superb summers in Lofoten we decided to break the journey south with a couple of days in Aurland, in the heart of the fjords. We had forgotten what a majestic part of the World this is, the aquamarine fjords pinned between high tops already sprinkled with the first snow of the season.
The area was still quite busy compared to the north, especially considering September is just around the corner, but the steady steam of coaches, camper-wagons and cruise-ships make you realise that we are back in the heart of Tourist Territory!
Highlights were an amazing glass-fronted viewpoint (above) and a short walk to a modest summit (4670′) overlooking the old mountain road, the car thermometer read a steady zero degrees!

A chill northerly wind and the disappearance of all the tourists, can only mean one thing, the short Arctic summer is coming to a close and it is time to think about heading south and get stuck into the Lofoten guidebook - though one year we would love to stay on and see the winter arrive. It is amazing to think, four short weeks ago it never got dark, and now the autumn is almost upon us.
We had a last tour of a few of our favourite spots, the normally busy Kalle beach was deserted, not a tent or camper-van in sight - and of course its Bank Holiday Monday at home and a sunny one too, with all that entails!

With the forecast a bit unsettled we decided on a day out in western Lofoten yesterday and took the ferry (only one a day - climbing in here would need a bit of planning) for a quick trip round Rienefjord to get photographs for the new guide. There are some amazing peaks in there, the sort of things a child would draw for a picture of ‘a mountain’.
The most impressive is probably the charmingly name Brieflogtind (Wide Slab Peak apparently) - it is only 750 metres high (just a little higher than Kinder!) - but what a peak!
We also sailed past the huge shark’s fin of Seiltind (730m), of which the current guide simple says “first ascent unknown”. That presumably means the soaring faces are unclimbed!
Merraflestind (the third photo) is obviously so insignificant is isn’t worth of a mention in the guidebook or a spot height on the map! Despite this it is probably only a 15 minute walk from the pier and has some rather fine lines and currently at least ONE route!

Needing to sort the bouldering out for the new Lofoten guidebook, I spent a day visiting the half-a-dozen popular spots, playing on a few problems and taking pictures. I have never been a fan of bouldering, it always feels to much like ‘playing on rocks’ to me.
Having said that, they day after my session, I was aching all over and I’m not sure my fingers will ever work again - so maybe there is a point to it all!
Anyway, there is loads to go at, in some of the most sublime locations imaginable.